Bernds Bikes Manufaktur

E-Bernds

Every Bernds bike can also be had with an electric motor

An electric motor can make hill-climbing easier and/or increase your riding range. To meet your individual needs, we offer a variety of systems that we’ve chosen because we believe in them.

We haven’t reinvented the E-bike

And that’s the way it should stay. Because every Bernds bike model, electric motor or no, is designed to serve a particular purpose. And the electric motor is meant to support this purpose without detracting from the advantages that make a Bernds a Bernds. So we keep things compact, foldable, mobile and completely individual—even with a motor and battery on board. Starting as light as 18 kg total weight with a battery that can be integrated into the frame by request, and running all the way to a foldable electric tandem.

How is the motor controlled?

Either by your own pedalling power (pedal-assist) or by a cruise control device that provides you with power on demand to maintain a pre-set speed.
Pedal-assist means that the motor proportionally reinforces your pedalling power; this works well for athletic riding.

In the cruise control variant, on the other hand, the motor kicks in as needed in order to remain at a pre-set speed. If you ride faster, the motor cuts out. This makes things easier for the rider and ensures relaxed riding.

Which wheel gets powered by the motor?

When a bike’s load is distributed well, it’s advantageous to have an electrically driven front wheel, which in effect gives you all-wheel drive.

The only cases in which the front wheel is likely to lose traction are or on gravel or on extreme uphill grades of 10% or more. This won’t cause you to lose control over the bike, though; its centre of gravity will simply be shifted to the rear.
For frequent off-road riding, rear-wheel drive is the better option. Unfortunately, such systems can be combined only with chain shifters.

Where to put the motor?

A motor means more weight. So the lower its placement, the better the bike handles. That’s why, on 28″ bikes, bottom bracket motors do better than hub motors. In our 20″ bikes, however, the wheels’ diameter is already 10 cm smaller than on a 28″ bike. So the weight of the motor automatically sits at the same height as that of a bottom bracket motor. Furthermore, we always position the battery as low as possible—making for an additional improvement in handling.

Our motorisation choices for E-Bernds

The Ansmann front wheel motor
This motor can be set to speeds of between 15 and 25 km/h in six increments. This is particularly nice when riding in a group. The motor cuts out whenever the set speed is exceeded. In other words, the motor only provides assistance when you fall below the speed you’ve set— like on a hill, or with headwind.

The GoSwissDrive rear wheel motor
This motor reacts to your pedalling power. The motor provides support in proportion to the force that you apply to the pedals. This makes for a very sporty-feeling ride. But when riding uphill, it could happen that you’re no longer able to provide the power that’s needed to fully activate the motor. So this is a motor that we recommend for athletically ambitious riders.

The propulsion system that weighs the least: Gruberassist
At 1.8 kg, it’s not only very light, but is also hidden inside the frame. It only provides support over short distances, which means it’s most suitable for athletic riders who’d like a little help on those last 500 metres of an uphill stretch on their mountain bikes or racing bikes. And with a power rating of 200 watts, it’s a bit too weak for use on a tandem.